Posted!

Join the Conversation

Comments

Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only.
This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you.
You do not need a Facebook profile to participate.

You will need to register before adding a comment.
Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in.

Please be polite.
It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban.
If you see comments in violation of our community guidelines, please report them.

Kingsville residents will now be able to receive up-to-date emergency alert notifications.

The city partnered with an emergency alert notification system and also have added a fourth storm alert siren.

Kingsville Emergency Operations Center and the police department have partnered with Nixle, a company that allows government agencies to send local emergency notifications and advisories to residents, according to a news release.

Residents can register to receive notifications by texting their ZIP code to 888777 from their mobile phones. Residents can also visit the city's and police department's website using the Nixle widget.

After registration is complete through a cellphone, residents will be sent a confirmation text message. Custom alerts can be set by visiting Nixle's website, the release states.

Alerts can be sent by text messages, emails, voice, social media and through the Nixle app.

Residents also will be better alerted with the addition of a fourth storm siren on the east side of U.S. Highway 77 Bypass on Carlos Truan Boulevard, the release states.

The siren is meant to alert those who are outdoors in the immediate path of a tornado.

The city will conduct a test activation of the system every Wednesday at noon, and the system will not be activated for a test if there is a threat of sever weather in the area, the release states.

Sirens will sound when the Storm Sentry 13 satellite system sets off the sirens, when it senses a tornado in the area and when a tornado warning has been issued for an area of Kleberg County that includes Kingsville. The sirens also will be activated when a firefighter, police officer or storm spotter sees a tornado close to the city, the release states.

Sirens will not give an all clear sound when there is no longer a tornado warning.

When the sirens are activated, residents should take cover in appropriate shelter and should listed to a radio or TV station giving updates on the storm, the release states.

Residents who have registered to receive emergency notification alerts will receive alerts on the storm.

During a storm, residents should refrain from calling 911 for weather updates to keep the lines available for emergencies, the release states.